High temperature rechargeable molten salt batteries typically use lithium alloy negative electrodes such as LiAl. This alloy, however, degrades with cycling due to agglomeration of the aluminum in the alloy at the high operating temperatures of the molten salt cells (&gt;300.degree. C.). In addition, the use of LiAl as the negative is costly in that special handling is required in order to avoid reactivity with moisture and oxygen.